In recent years track-laying agricultural tractors have gained in popularity as an alternative to conventional wheeled tractors, primarily due to their ability to move over a field with much less soil compaction than wheeled tractors. One problem associated with track-laying agricultural tractors is that of debris fouling the track drive of the vehicle. During turns in fields having heavy crop residue, such as fall corn stalk stubble, crop residue becomes trapped between the track drive surface and the track drive wheel. This trapped material is frequently carried upward by the drive wheel and track and dropped at the top of the drive wheel. This material then falls upon the track frame. The buildup of material requires the operator to stop periodically and clean off the top of the track frame. This process is inconvenient and time consuming and results in lost productivity. Over the years a number of different devices have been designed to cut off the exposed crop debris so as to reduce the amount of material that is dropped on the top of the track frame. One drawback to known cutter bars is that when unexpectedly tough material such as a steel fence post or the like is carried in by the track and ultimately contacts the cutter bar, the cutter bar is damaged and can be pushed into the track itself resulting in costly damage to the track and/or wheel of the vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a clear need in the art for a device for removing debris from the drive wheels of track-laying vehicles having attachment means wherein the device will yield upon the application of a pre-selected force to the device.